Universal Hub - All Boston, all the time

MIT scientist on bicycle struck, killed by truck at Beacon and Charlesgate; driver drove away

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:11:27 +0000

Updated with MIT info.

Kanako Miura, 36, a visiting scientist at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, died this afternoon when she was struck by a dump truck, MIT and Stanley Staco report.

Boston Police report the victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 3:30 p.m. incident.

According to MIT, Miura had come to Cambridge last fall from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. She had been working in Prof. Russ Tedrake's Robot Locomotion Group.

Bearable news out of Lincoln

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:50:52 +0000

Bear in the woods. Photo by Lincoln PD.

Earlier this afternoon, Lincoln Police warned residents :

Black bear is in the area of Rte117 & Rte126. Remove bird feeders & food sources from your yard & call LPD if you see it.

Last year:
Brookline Bear, which turned out to be Cape Bear.

H/t Leslie Turek.

A weekend of celebrations

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:56:30 +0000

Kristie Helms took in the Japan Festival at City Hall Plaza today.

Patrick Rosso photographed the Haitian American Unity parade on Blue Hill Avenue.

Thomas Linger enjoyed Porchfest in Somerville yesterday.

Joe Maxwell went to the Assembled Market in Somerville yesterday:

Darth Lobster

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:00:02 +0000

Sith Lobster landed in Gloucester.

Citizen complaint of the day: There's a right way and a wrong way to fill a hole and this is the wrong way

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:48:17 +0000

Would somebody at the DPW really have responded to a report of a hole on Atlantic Avenue by planting a traffic cone pointy side down in it - and then just left it there? An irate citizen who also happens to be president of the Wharf District Council complains:

It has been like this all winter. Please fix it soon. It is embarrassing for those of us working for the neighborhood.

The first mayoral race this year

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:41:23 +0000

Peter Gelzinis explains why first we'll see a race to sew up geographical areas (West Roxbury/Hyde Park/JP vs. Dorchester) and the "progressive minority vote," then, after the preliminary shrinks a field of 10 or 12 down to 2, we can get down to actual issues. Also, Gareth Saunders needs to consider whether he wants to join Althea Garrison and Roy Owens in the League of Perpetual Candidates.

Mother, baby in stroller hit by car turning onto Jamaicaway at Perkins Street

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:24:04 +0000

Around 5 p.m. yesterday. Driver was headed outbound on the Jamaicaway, mother and baby were in the crosswalk. Mother and baby taken to local hospital for observation.

The lost lion of the Back Bay

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:46:50 +0000

On ArchBoston, Billski wonders what happened to the rooftop lion atop the Kensington Building on Boylston Street, which sat where the Darth Vader building now broods over the avenue. The lion's two street-level companions were relocated to the Copley Plaza, but does anybody know what happened to Lion 3? One presumes he is not prowling the rooftops of Boston, since a giant swan remains perched atop the Park Plaza.

More photos of the lion and his mates at street level.

Photo from the BPL Leslie Jones Collection. Used under this Creative Commons license.

Guantanamo protest at Park Street

adamg — Sun, 19 May 2013 01:37:31 +0000

Photographynatalia watched protesters demand the shutdown of the Guantanamo prison at Park Street.